Hi. I am in MFA application trenches and don’t have writer friends in my life, would really appreciate a looksie over at the first few passages of my fiction sample (is an excerpt from a short story) because it’s all starting to sound like mush to me right now. Thank you!!
My (28F) boyfriend (32M) is perfect., like in every possible way I don’t believe this man is ever real I have to keep myself from waving a hand through his chest in case he’s a bf simulation hologram Ok — just for context and sorry for how long this is I’m just starting to feel crazy — so we’ve been together 4 years and he’s planning a proposal for late 2026. He wants to understand me better every day and prides himself on being a good listener (which is true he even remembers all my friends stories and details down to their college majors). He’s an NP but wants to go back to school for cardiology, he’s smart and hardworking, a true empath but especially at work — his patients are obsessed with him, the hospice ladies call him JFK (and their boyfriend lol). No matter how busy he is , which he always is (he also volunteers with red cross and coaches a flag football team throughout the week), he makes time for me and prioritizes me above all, plans every date and surprises me with my favorite things and makes me laugh until I pee and still makes me swoon and is just, yeah he’s extremely loving and hell-bent on my comfort and happiness, and I do love him so much so Disclaimer, I do not want to break up with him!!! I’m just trying to understand and also feeling like an asshole for having these thoughts, or complaining
There is literally just ONE thing that drives me crazy and when I brought this up (to my best friend), I come across ungrateful (she said things like you don’t even know how good you have it, just be grateful for him and your relationship etc etc — shes single and dating rn and I know the dating pool is roughhhh but it still felt dismissive? Idk)
So before he leaves for work in the morning (4 AM), he tickles the bottom of my foot (while I’m still in bed) on his way out. Like not a tickle-tickle but he uses his nail idk which one to slide it up across my foot. I’m an incredibly light sleeper and always wake up the second he does it, also I’ve noticed lately I dread going to bed and feel tense even in my dreams because I know how I’m going to wake up (disoriented and freaked out for half a second before I remember). I’ve asked him to please stop tickling my foot and that it really interferes with my sleep, but he still hasn’t stopped, he says things like “I’m just tickling my lady” or just laughs at me and cuddles me and then we don’t talk about it. I’ve begged him to stop twice, tears from my frustration and I felt so stupid but I had been losing sleep (i can hardly go back to sleep once I’m awake). Maybe 2 months ago I screamed at him right after he tickled me because it still isn’t clicking for him? How?? It’s insane because it’s even affecting my desire to be intimate with him and i just don’t know what else to try to make him understand its not a silly quirk.
AIO for getting so upset with him that the idea of marriage is now freaking me out because he can’t respect my boundaries?? Or should I start wearing shoes to sleep bc he really is my dream man otherwise lmao idk please help
Hi everyone. My short story was accepted by a literary magazine on March 10th, 2026 (yay!). They requested a confirmation, bio, and author photo, and asked me to reply on Submittable. I did, right away, but I still haven’t heard from them on details concerning the publication date. Does anyone know if this is standard, or should I follow up? Thanks!